Branching Out, Digging In: Environmental Advocacy and Agenda Setting

Appendix: Sample Interview Questions

233 Appendix Sample Interview Questions Sample Questions for Clayoquot Sound Environmental Activists 1. Can you provide me with some background of your organization? When was it founded, what strategies do you employ, and what are your most important campaigns? 2. When did your organization get involved in the Clayoquot Sound campaign? In what capacity? Why did you get involved with it? 3. What were the biggest challenges in the early part of the campaign (pre-1993)? What about the latter part of the campaign? 4. Has your strategy changed over the years? If so, how? 5. What has been your most important strategy or tactic in the campaign to preserve Clayoquot Sound? Please explain. 6. What has been your media strategy? Are you satisfied with the coverage given to Clayoquot Sound and B.C. forest issues more generally? 7. Have you worked with other advocacy groups or policy actors? Who did you work most closely with and why? What was the nature of your collaboration? 8. Did you have any disagreements with your allies? Over what issues? How did you resolve these differences? 9. Please explain your relationship to First Nations. 10. Did the election of the NDP government in 1991 change things? How? 11. Do you consider any politicians in the B.C. government to be your allies? 12. Did you target the federal government? Why or why not? Do you consider anyone in the federal government to be an ally? 13. Did you use the courts to change policy? Why or why not? 14. What audiences have been most receptive to your message? Please explain. 15. Did your organization take part in the provincial-led task forces? What was your overall experience with these? 16. Have you worked with U.S. or international NGOs? What effect did their involvement have on the campaign? 17. Did you have any concerns about “going global”? What were they and why? 18. What was the role of your organization in the international markets campaign? In your opinion, how important was this component of the campaign? 19. Has the global attention to Clayoquot Sound changed things at the provincial level? How? 20. What, in your opinion, accounts for the success of the Clayoquot Sound campaign? 21. Who, in your opinion, should have ultimate authority over resource decisions in British Columbia? 22. Some of your critics have argued that these issues are for British Columbia and Canada to decide, not the international community. How would you respond to these criticisms? Sample Questions for QLG Members 1. Please describe your involvement with the QLG. When did you get involved and why? 2. (To environmental members.) It appears that in 1992, environmentalists were “winning.” If this is true, why did you agree to compromise with your former opponents? 3. What kept the QLG together? What issues united you? How central was the fire issue to the group? What issues were controversial and how did you resolve these? 4. Please describe the nature of the early QLG meetings. 5. Who was included in the meetings? Was anyone excluded? Why? 234 Appendix 6. How did you handle suggestions from outsiders, or new QLG members? 7. Do you have any allies? What is the nature of your alliances? Who are your most important allies? 8. What role did the USFS play in the early years, and did their role change over the years? 9. Describe your relationship with local and regional environmental groups. Did any of them oppose the QLG plan? 10. How would you characterize your relationship with national environmental organizations? 11. At what point did you sense opposition to the QLG? How did you handle your opponents and their criticisms? 12. When did you approach USFS officials in Washington, D.C.? Why? 13. When did you decide to approach Congress? Why? Did you have any reservations about going to Congress? If so, why? 14. What were the consequences of going to Congress? 15. Did you have a media strategy? What was it? 16. How would you describe your strategy overall? 17. Why do you think the QLG was successful? What factors were most important? 18. Who should have decision-making authority over the national forests in your area? Please explain. 19. Critics argue that these are national forests and should not be managed by locals. How would you respond to this? 20. In retrospect, is there anything you would change about...